FX3 or FX30.. getting back into video 15 yrs later

[backtoit]

Hey all - Back in my 20s I was very much into video. I was living in Japan and traveling around Asia and would make videos/music videos with all my travel footage. I had a Sony handycam with a Carl Zeiss lens that I bought for... prob $600. I feel like I definitely got the most I could out of that camera at the time. After my travels, I came home and started a career, and 15ish years passed just like that. I have really neglected the creative side of my life, and now I want to get back to it. I really loved creating videos. I do have 3 youtube channels at the moment, nothing crazy in terms of size, around 500-600 subscribers on each account. I just use an iPhone and a HD logitech cam because it's mainly talking head stuff. But I really want to expand and get back into making fun videos. Additionally, I do "walking tours" where I visit cities/parks/hikes and do 1-2 hrs of straight shooting with me walking around the location, sometimes with commentary (DJI mic). I currently do this on an iPhone 13 with a gimbal. I really want to upgrade at this point.

So after researching quite a bit, I've narrowed it down to either the fx3 or the fx30. I have a lucrative career (planning to retire in my early 40s lucrative), so the budget is flexible. This makes me want to just go for the fx3, because I have the money, but I know very little about videography at this point. No experience using RAW or log.. or even know what to do with the footage once I have it. I have done color correcting on my previous videos but very amateur. So basically I'd be learning from the ground up. So the fact that I have very little experience makes me lean more toward the fx30. But a lot of my walking videos are at sunset, so having spectacular low-light performance is important. I've watched a ton of youtube videos on fx30 vs. fx3.. and a lot of the fx30 footage looks amazing.. but something in me just wants to go big and get the fx3.. I think having the money is part of it but I also really want the best end product possible in that budget range (not looking to upgrade above the fx3). 

So.. I'm at a bit of inflection point on what to do. Here's an example of what I was doing around 2007ish. 

 

[IronFilm]

On 7/11/2023 at 9:18 AM, backtoit said:

So after researching quite a bit, I've narrowed it down to either the fx3 or the fx30. I have a lucrative career (planning to retire in my early 40s lucrative), so the budget is flexible. This makes me want to just go for the fx3, because I have the money, but I know very little about videography at this point. No experience using RAW or log.. or even know what to do with the footage once I have it. I have done color correcting on my previous videos but very amateur. So basically I'd be learning from the ground up. So the fact that I have very little experience makes me lean more toward the fx30. But a lot of my walking videos are at sunset, so having spectacular low-light performance is important. I've watched a ton of youtube videos on fx30 vs. fx3.. and a lot of the fx30 footage looks amazing..

Compared to what you are used to from all those years ago (or compared to your iPhone) then the the Sony FX30 has spectacularly amazingly jaw dropping incredibly gorgeous low light capabilities! 

People who complain about the low light of the FX30 being "bad" are just spoiled brats who 1) don't realize what we had to struggle with just a few years ago 2) have never touched a light in their life 3) have never used a cinema camera before. (which are often rated at a much lower ISO than what a FX30 can do, even though they cost many times more $$$$$)

Also, because you do a lot of filming while walking / hiking, then you'll really appreciate the lower weight of the Super 35 / APS-C lenses vs the heavier weight of the so called "full frame" lenses. 

[Django]

For hobby/amateur/travel use I’d forget both those pro options and just go with the new ZV-E1: you get the same great A7S3/FX3/FX6 full frame sensor and image quality plus easy framing and AF thanks to AI chip.. for half the price of an FX3. With the money saved you can invest in quality lenses. If you like Carl Zeiss, I recommend the Batis range. 

[Snowfun]

If money isn’t a limiting factor, I’d be tempted to get a Komodo. Not hideously expensive but something to grow into and grow with. Lots of opportunities to explore lenses and being creative in post. And just a hint of je ne sais quoi to keep the juices flowing.

But (apologies) that’s not helpful since you’ve already narrowed it down to two. Full frame for creative opportunities? 

[MrSMW]

I don’t seem to be able to link it, but I Googled Sony FX30 vs Komodo and there is at least one video on YouTube.

I haven’t watched it but I suspect the Red is a much bigger unit to start with and then needs rigging out.

Possibly not one for a day out with the fam but the FX30 with a small zoom such as the excellent Sigma 18-50 f2.8 might be.

For personal, I’d go 30 but for work, the 3 just for the full frame.

[backtoit]

9 hours ago, Django said:

For hobby/amateur/travel use I’d forget both those pro options and just go with the new ZV-E1: you get the same great A7S3/FX3/FX6 full frame sensor and image quality plus easy framing and AF thanks to AI chip.. for half the price of an FX3. With the money saved you can invest in quality lenses. If you like Carl Zeiss, I recommend the Batis range. 

I took a look at that camera and got scared off by the overheating. I'm hoping to do 1-1.5 hrs uninterrupted filming outside during my walking tours, and I saw a bunch of youtube videos about overheating after 30-40 min (not even outside). I can't tell if it's overblown or not as a newbie consumer though. The sales guy at the camera shop was surprised to hear about it when I brought it up. He showed me the ZV-E1 first. 

[backtoit]

1 hour ago, Snowfun said:

If money isn’t a limiting factor, I’d be tempted to get a Komodo. Not hideously expensive but something to grow into and grow with. Lots of opportunities to explore lenses and being creative in post. And just a hint of je ne sais quoi to keep the juices flowing.

But (apologies) that’s not helpful since you’ve already narrowed it down to two. Full frame for creative opportunities? 

I am somewhat comfortable with $6k all in for the fx3 (body, lens, gimbal, accessories), but anything above that is out of the range I am willing to spend. Thanks for putting it out there though. 

[markr041]

11 hours ago, backtoit said:

I took a look at that camera and got scared off by the overheating. I'm hoping to do 1-1.5 hrs uninterrupted filming outside during my walking tours, and I saw a bunch of youtube videos about overheating after 30-40 min (not even outside). I can't tell if it's overblown or not as a newbie consumer though. The sales guy at the camera shop was surprised to hear about it when I brought it up. He showed me the ZV-E1 first. 

You are correct, the ZV E1 is not the camera for 1.5 hour clips. It will overheat. Are you sure you can shoot continuous high bitrate 1.5 hour videos on an fx3 with its small battery?

You can also hold the camera, lens and gimbal for 1.5 hours?  It is not a light camera, and full-frame lenses are big and heavy. Perhaps a reason to go with a crop camera like the fx30 - smaller lenses.

[kye]

15 hours ago, Snowfun said:

If money isn’t a limiting factor, I’d be tempted to get a Komodo. Not hideously expensive but something to grow into and grow with. Lots of opportunities to explore lenses and being creative in post. And just a hint of je ne sais quoi to keep the juices flowing.

Just a hint?  I'd suggest that there's more than just a hint of je ne sais quoi from the Komodo!!

2 hours ago, markr041 said:

You are correct, the ZV E1 is not the camera for 1.5 hour clips. It will overheat. Are you sure you can shoot continuous high bitrate 1.5 hour videos on an fx3 with its small battery?

You can also hold the camera, lens and gimbal for 1.5 hours?  It is not a light camera, and full-frame lenses are big and heavy. Perhaps a reason to go with a crop camera like the fx30 - smaller lenses.

Good practical questions.  

If the battery life wouldn't last then a V-mount could be added, potentially via a cable with the battery kept elsewhere, like in a pocket, but it would potentially add to the weight of the rig, so should be taken into consideration.

One trick that I got from a fellow forum member for stability and holding a camera for long periods was to buy a belt and put a tape-measure pocket on it, and then put the camera on a monopod and put the foot of the monopod into the tape-measure pocket.  This puts most of the weight of the rig onto the belt, and provides a third point of contact, although your hips aren't completely stable if you're walking around.  It's quite a minimal setup, can easily be held with only one hand (potentially even quickly changing batteries like this), and the rig can easily be quickly taken out of the belt pocket and used as a normal monopod or packed away etc.

If @backtoit put the camera on a gimbal and then extended the handle of the gimbal with a monopod into the belt then that might help stabilise things sufficiently.  They might still get the vertical bobbing up and down motion when walking, but it might not be that visible.

[MrSMW]

8 hours ago, kye said:

One trick that I got from a fellow forum member for stability and holding a camera for long periods was to buy a belt and put a tape-measure pocket on it, and then put the camera on a monopod and put the foot of the monopod into the tape-measure pocket.  This puts most of the weight of the rig onto the belt, and provides a third point of contact

Even better, use a shoulder harness from someone like Holdfast also and you can use that kind of set up virtually hands free as the harness provides stability each side and the bulk of the weight goes down the monopod into the belt/your chiseled 6 pack.

[ThomasGranda]

Go for the fx3 - your budget allows it, and it'll give you the best end product.

[sanveer]

"But I really want to expand and get back into making fun videos. Additionally, I do "walking tours" where I visit cities/parks/hikes and do 1-2 hrs of straight shooting with me walking around the location, sometimes with commentary (DJI mic). I currently do this on an iPhone 13 with a gimbal. I really want to upgrade at this point."

You basically need a camera for Vlogging right now. The Sony fx3 or fx30 may not be the idea choices, especially since they're an overkill, probably too heavy for hours of continous shoot, probably too noticeable for places that would require permits for larger cameras, may have overheating issues like most Sony cameras anywhere outside of cold winter, and also have issues with enormous file sizes for long shoots. You should ideally get a good VLogging camera, as a stop gap solution. Learn editing along with grading and some post work. And once you're better at post work, and wanna get more creative with your music videos and other things, you could pick up a camera made for controlled shoots, with better video quality.

My two cents. 

[markr041]

35 minutes ago, sanveer said:

"But I really want to expand and get back into making fun videos. Additionally, I do "walking tours" where I visit cities/parks/hikes and do 1-2 hrs of straight shooting with me walking around the location, sometimes with commentary (DJI mic). I currently do this on an iPhone 13 with a gimbal. I really want to upgrade at this point."

You basically need a camera for Vlogging right now. The Sony fx3 or fx30 may not be the idea choices, especially since they're an overkill, probably too heavy for hours of continous shoot, probably too noticeable for places that would require permits for larger cameras, may have overheating issues like most Sony cameras anywhere outside of cold winter, and also have issues with enormous file sizes for long shoots. You should ideally get a good VLogging camera, as a stop gap solution. Learn editing along with grading and some post work. And once you're better at post work, and wanna get more creative with your music videos and other things, you could pick up a camera made for controlled shoots, with better video quality.

My two cents. 

I agree with this, except the fx30 and the fx3 have fans, and they are not likely to overheat. The limits are battery life for long takes like 1-2 hours(!).

[sanveer]

20 minutes ago, markr041 said:

I agree with this, except the fx30 and the fx3 have fans, and they are not likely to overheat. The limits are battery life for long takes like 1-2 hours(!).

I saw a few video, including one  quoting Gerald Undone among a few other people. And most of them recorded those cameras at 24 degress and lower (indoors I am guessing). And still overheating in most cases. In direct sunlight, and at 30 degrees, they would definitely be more susceptible to overheating. Since @backtoitwould use them outdoors for his Vlogs.

[markr041]

5 minutes ago, sanveer said:

I saw a few video, including one  quoting Gerald Undone among a few other people. And most of them recorded those cameras at 24 degress and lower (indoors I am guessing). And still overheating in most cases. In direct sunlight, and at 30 degrees, they would definitely be more susceptible to overheating. Since @backtoitwould use them outdoors for his Vlogs.

I agree with you that the fx3 and fx30 are not the right cameras for shooting 1.5-hour takes, but I do not think your "evidence"  - your remembering a video where someone quoted someone else (!)  - is the kind of evidence that anyone should make decisions on.

There are settings in those cameras for the fan, and for the shutdown thresholds. And indoors with no airflow will overheat cameras more compared with using a camera outdoors, where there is airflow. So, we need to know more about the tests than what you think someone concluded for a serious discussion of overheating.

But, I do not think we need more on "overheating" for the purpose of this guy's video styles. Let us just agree that no professional cinema camera is appropriate for the OP's use (and we will all refrain from expressing our view of the worth of 1.5-hour continuous videos).

[sanveer]

13 hours ago, markr041 said:

I agree with you that the fx3 and fx30 are not the right cameras for shooting 1.5-hour takes, but I do not think your "evidence"  - your remembering a video where someone quoted someone else (!)  - is the kind of evidence that anyone should make decisions on.

There are settings in those cameras for the fan, and for the shutdown thresholds. And indoors with no airflow will overheat cameras more compared with using a camera outdoors, where there is airflow. So, we need to know more about the tests than what you think someone concluded for a serious discussion of overheating.

But, I do not think we need more on "overheating" for the purpose of this guy's video styles. Let us just agree that no professional cinema camera is appropriate for the OP's use (and we will all refrain from expressing our view of the worth of 1.5-hour continuous videos).

Fair enough. And good point 👍🏼 

[Llaasseerr]

I think the FX3 sensor is superior to the FX30 regardless of it being full frame vs s35. It has excellent sub-10ms rolling shutter and more dynamic range, plus an amazing high base ISO - if those things are important to you. Due to the fact the sensor is “only” 4k and is full frame, each photosite (pixel) is quite large - about the size of an Alexa - and is excellent at light gathering.

[IronFilm]

On 7/13/2023 at 2:47 AM, Snowfun said:

If money isn’t a limiting factor, I’d be tempted to get a Komodo.

For most of us though then money is a limiting factor. 

And sub $2K (FX30) vs $6K (Komodo) is a hell of a large difference!

And if I am going to spend $6K, I'd rather get a Sony FX6 instead. 

[MrSMW]

I think if I wanted to go as small and light as possible for weddings/personal/vacation etc, I’d go FX30.

Still weddings but something slightly more ‘pro’, then FX3.

More pro still, FX6.

Not wedding but more serious filmmaking, Komodo etc becomes interesting.